As Missouri starts COVID vaccine boosters, hospital association estimates demand for 1.5 million shots

As Missouri’s department of health and senior services (DHSS) amended its rules this week to allow booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, the Missouri Hospital Association (MHA) predicted a possible immediate demand for 1.5 million boosters. About 2.9 million Missourians completed the vaccination.

DHSS said it was following federal guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in amending the order. A DHSS media release stated Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots will be administered anywhere the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is available. Individuals do not need to get their booster shot at the same location they received their initial series.

Missourians who received the Pfizer vaccine can receive a booster shot at least six months after their initial series based on CDC guidelines:

• people 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster;
• people aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster;
• people aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster; and
• people aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting (e.g. frontline medical workers, teachers, and first responders) may receive a booster.

MHA evaluated Missouri’s recipients of the Pfizer vaccine by the date they initiated the series. It compared those dates to corresponding dates of the state’s distribution in late 2020 and early 2021.

The due dates are predicted by adding 183 days to date each individual completed the series. Those not completing the Pfizer series were excluded from the analysis. The MHA report on Missourians stated:

• 97,695 initiated the two-dose Pfizer vaccine series during Phase 1A (beginning Dec. 14, 2020); front-line health care workers and long-term care facility residents and staff were prioritized.
• 456,169 initiated during Phase 1B Tiers 1-2 (1B Tier 1 began Jan. 14, 2021, and Tier 2 began Jan. 18, 2021); adults age 65 and older, those age 18 and older with underlying medical conditions, first responders, emergency services personnel and public health workers were eligible.
• 187,080 initiated during Phase 1B Tier 3 (beginning March 13, 2021) for critical infrastructure workers.
• 148,682 initiated during Phase 2 (beginning March 29, 2021), for workers in disproportionately affected sectors and homeless individuals.
• 612,969 initiated during Phase 3 (beginning April 9, 2021) when access was open to all age 18 and older.

DHSS stated Missouri providers will be ready to administer Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) booster shots after federal health experts determine when recipients may be eligible for a booster.

DHSS also said individuals can get a flu shot at the same time they receive the COVID-19 booster shot. Flu vaccines are now available through various providers throughout the state and are recommended annually for everyone 6 months and older.

Research shows all COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States continue to be highly effective at preventing severe illness and death, according to the DHSS release. Individuals should only get a booster shot when it is recommended, not earlier.

This article was originally posted on As Missouri starts COVID vaccine boosters, hospital association estimates demand for 1.5 million shots